| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare: Write me a Prologue, and let the Prologue seeme to say,
we will do no harme with our swords, and that Pyramus
is not kill'd indeede: and for the more better assurance,
tell them, that I Piramus am not Piramus, but Bottome the
Weauer; this will put them out of feare
Quin. Well, we will haue such a Prologue, and it shall
be written in eight and sixe
Bot. No, make it two more, let it be written in eight
and eight
Snout. Will not the Ladies be afear'd of the Lyon?
Star. I feare it, I promise you
A Midsummer Night's Dream |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Poems by T. S. Eliot: De quel droit payes-tu des expériences comme moi?
Tiens, voilà dix sous, pour la salle-de-bains.
Phlébas, le Phénicien, pendant quinze jours noyé,
Oubliait les cris des mouettes et la houle de Cornouaille,
Et les profits et les pertes, et la cargaison d'etain:
Un courant de sous-mer l'emporta tres loin,
Le repassant aux étapes de sa vie antérieure.
Figurez-vous donc, c'etait un sort penible;
Cependant, ce fut jadis un bel homme, de haute taille.
Whispers of Immortality
Webster was much possessed by death
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Hero of Our Time by M.Y. Lermontov: Azamat, 'I would give it all for your Karagyoz!'
"'Yok![1] I would not take it!' said Kazbich
indifferently.
[1] "No!"
"'Listen, Kazbich,' said Azamat, trying to
ingratiate himself with him. 'You are a kind-
hearted man, you are a brave horseman, but my
father is afraid of the Russians and will not
allow me to go on the mountains. Give me
your horse, and I will do anything you wish. I
will steal my father's best rifle for you, or his
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The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: gave him finer hecatombs when you prayed you might come to a
green old age yourself and see your son grow up to take after
you: yet see how he has prevented you alone from ever getting
back to your own home. I have no doubt the women in some foreign
palace which Ulysses has got to are gibing at him as all these
sluts here have been gibing at you. I do not wonder at your not
choosing to let them wash you after the manner in which they
have insulted you; I will wash your feet myself gladly enough,
as Penelope has said that I am to do so; I will wash them both
for Penelope's sake and for your own, for you have raised the
most lively feelings of compassion in my mind; and let me say
The Odyssey |
